By Johnathan Paoli

Civil rights organisation AfriForum has welcomed the Department of Basic Education’s decision to extend the deadline for public comments on the draft regulations of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA).

The move has reignited calls from civil society organisations, unions, and advocacy groups for South Africans to help shape the future of schooling.

AfriForum’s Head of Cultural Affairs, Alana Bailey, described the extension as “positive and necessary.”

“Both sets of regulations will have a significant impact on the nature of public schools and the provision of high-quality education. It is essential for as many institutions, organisations, and individuals as possible to submit comments,” she said.

Originally set to close on 5 September, the deadline has now been extended to 5 October, according to the Government Gazette.

The regulations, published in August, focus on school capacity and admissions and form part of implementing the BELA Act, which came into effect on 24 December 2024.

Bailey welcomed the extra time, saying it would allow the public to provide more thoughtful and detailed input. She also warned that vague or contradictory regulations could trigger costly legal battles.

“Legislation is often broad, and regulations must bring clarity on its application. If people feel the regulations are unclear, inconsistent, or out of touch with realities in schools, these concerns must be raised with the Minister and the Department. This is particularly important if they infringe on the rights of learners, teachers, or the Constitution itself,” she added.

AfriForum confirmed it is finalising its submission in consultation with its legal team.

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) has also weighed in, voicing “great concern” over the minister’s approach.

SADTU General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke argued that the regulations undermine both the letter and spirit of the Act, which followed more than a decade of consultations and parliamentary processes.

“Regulations cannot be used to change the text of the Act, impose requirements not provided for, or undermine its purpose and intent,” he said.

The union criticised the Minister for publishing regulations on only two areas instead of the eight originally envisaged, warning this piecemeal approach could create confusion. It further claimed that several provisions fall outside the Minister’s legal authority, encroaching on other ministries such as Home Affairs and Public Administration, and ignoring Constitutional Court rulings on learners’ rights.

Civil society group Free SA has also raised objections, warning that the regulations could weaken school governing bodies (SGBs) and marginalise parents in decision-making. A key concern is a clause that allows provincial officials to override SGB decisions on admissions, zoning, and language policy.

Free SA argues that this shift would erode accountability and weaken the democratic role of SGBs, which were designed to secure parental and community involvement in education.

The Department has defended the regulations as necessary to ensure uniformity, fairness, and improved governance in public schools. Officials say they will enhance equity and accountability while modernising school governance for the country’s 13.5 million learners.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Rafieka Williams

KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka on Wednesday visited Dr. Joseph Shabalala High School in Ladysmith following public outcry over a viral video showing a teacher physically disciplining learners.

The clip, which has garnered more than one million views on X (formerly Twitter), shows a teacher raising his hands against three learners lined up at the front of a classroom while others watch.

The footage prompted swift action from the provincial education department.

On Wednesday morning, Hlomuka met with learners, educators, the School Governing Body (SGB), and the teachers’ unions during his visit.

“The necessary measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of learners and to protect the integrity of the investigation and its outcome. These measures are meant to ensure stability in the school as all learners prepare for final exams,” he said afterwards.

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) condemned the use of violence in classrooms.

“SADTU does not condone violence against learners in any form,” said union spokesperson Nomusa Cembi.

However, Cembi cautioned against blanket criticism of teachers, noting that many face challenges with unruly learners, but maintained that physical punishment is unjustifiable.

Corporal punishment in schools is outlawed in South Africa.

However, a recent Stats SA report found that 40% of households with children still support its use in classrooms, with rural households more likely than urban ones to view it as acceptable.

“More households in rural areas than urban areas had perceptions that it was acceptable for children to be physically punished for breaking the rules,” the report said.

Link to video: https://x.com/zanewsflash/status/1962793980342509687?s=46&t=sAkwO42qu_SM2NeCbQPBlQ

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thebe Mabanga

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has posted record financial results, reporting higher profits, improved loan collections, and expanded infrastructure support for municipalities and schools.

The results, for the year ending March, were released on Wednesday.

Despite what it described as a challenging domestic and global environment, the state-owned financier delivered a record net profit of R5.3 billion, up 14.4% from R4.6 billion last year.

Net interest income rose 8.6% to R8.4 billion, while operating income increased 12.3% to R8.8 billion. Sustainable earnings grew 13.7% to R5.1 billion.

The DBSA also maintained strong asset quality, with net non-performing loans at just 1.2% of total development loans and bonds of R114.6 billion, down by 0.5% from last year.

Global conditions weighed on performance, with supply chains disrupted by US trade tariffs, conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, and tighter financial markets.

Domestically, easing load-shedding and structural reforms offered some relief, but challenges remained, including logistics bottlenecks, weak municipal financial management, and limited government capacity to implement infrastructure policy.

During the year, the bank disbursed R17.5 billion in loans and equity (up 2.9% from R17 billion), supported by a R120 billion asset base.

Collections rose 19% to a record R27.4 billion. Its debt-to-equity ratio, including R20 billion callable capital, improved to 78% from 89%, well below the 250% regulatory limit.

The DBSA also mobilised R91.3 billion in infrastructure support, including R22.9 billion in catalysed funds.

The bank said it delivered R5.2 billion in infrastructure implementation support and unlocked a further R2.6 billion for under-resourced municipalities.

Key projects worth R39.9 billion were enabled and supported, while projects valued at R2.4 billion were prepared and approved. In addition, specially identified District Municipalities received R800 million.

The DBSA also made a notable impact on school sanitation through the Department of Basic Education’s SAFE programme, with 22,722 learners benefiting from new sanitation facilities built in 98 schools funded by the programme.

A further 11,397 learners benefited from improved sanitation facilities constructed in 67 schools funded through provincial allocations.

In terms of inclusive development, black-owned enterprises delivered projects worth R4 billion, while women-owned businesses accounted for R2.6 billion.

A total of 956 small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) were contracted to deliver projects, with local construction SMMEs receiving R584 million in benefits.

These initiatives created approximately 35,000 jobs and provided skills training to 1,650 young people.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Rafieka Williams

Calm has returned to Tiyelelane Secondary School in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, following a protest on Tuesday by learners that left one student injured and damaged four state vehicles and one private car.

This comes after irate learners were seen pelting stones and moving between schools in an uproar over allegations of sexual assault by the teaching staff.

It is alleged that a teacher at the school had sexually assaulted one of the learners and one of the bus drivers had been in a relationship with another learner at the school.

The learners had reported the incidents to the principal who they said had ignored their outcry.

On Tuesday, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) removed the principal of Tiyelelane High School to restore calm to the school and the surrounding area.

GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said: “The department has taken the precautionary step of removing the principal from Tiyelelani Secondary effective from Wednesday, 3 September 2025.”

“We believe that this action will play a significant role in stabilising the school environment and allow for an impartial process. The acting deputy principal will assist with the day-to-day running of the school, supported by district officials.” 

Mabona said GDE are investigating the allegations of sexual assault, however the Tshwane South Africa Police Service (SAPS) said no allegations of sexual assault had been reported by the school.

Education MEC, Matome Chiloane said: “We are determined to act in the best interest of learners at Tiyelelani Secondary School and surrounding schools. Allegations of misconduct by educators or any employee even those from our service providers will be subjected to disciplinary processes.”

During the protests one learner was injured and rushed to a medical facility where they are recovering.

“The SAPS and TMPD continue to monitor the situation in Soshanguve after learners reportedly disrupted schools in that area. The police used stun grenades to disperse the crowd, which was pelting stones,” police said.

Matric learners who were scheduled to sit for preliminary examinations managed to write their papers as planned while law enforcement keeps a watchful eye on the situation.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Nomalungelo Gina has warned that the country must not be left behind in the global race for innovation, urging young entrepreneurs to dream big, commercialise faster and lead South Africa into the digital future.

Delivering the keynote address at the University of Johannesburg-BRICS Summer School’s 2nd Innovation Challenge, Gina described the challenge as “serious and important work” by a university that has positioned itself as a leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), calling on students to seize opportunities to create solutions that respond not only to South Africa’s development needs but also to global challenges.

“BRICS nations are not simply consumers of global innovation; we are producers, pioneers, and contributors to global progress. South Africa must continue to learn from these experiences while adapting them to our own context, particularly in renewable energy, digital skills development, and advanced manufacturing,” she said.

The event, held under the theme “Strengthening Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship in BRICS+ through Student Innovation”, brought together students, academics, policymakers, and industry leaders in a celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Gina highlighted a persistent challenge in South Africa’s higher education landscape: while universities produce numerous prototypes each year, many struggle to move beyond the Technology Transfer Office stage into the economy.

To address this, she outlined the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s initiatives, including the Innovation Fund and the Higher Education Innovation Fund, launched last year with the support of the UN Development Programme.

These funds are designed to help students and researchers bridge the costly gap between prototype development and commercialisation.

“I would like to see more innovators collaborating with the CSIR, the Technology Innovation Agency, and our Departmental teams. Our aim is to build a resilient and agile innovation ecosystem that supports young innovators with venture capital, angel investors, and institutional backing,” she said.

Gina also stressed that South Africa must position itself strategically within both the global and African innovation race, citing progress in Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

She connected UJ’s efforts to the broader BRICS Young Innovators Forum, established in 2015 as a platform to connect youth-led innovation across BRICS nations.

“Events such as today’s challenge serve as a springboard for South Africa’s representation on global platforms. They allow us to identify and empower the most promising talents, ensuring that when our young people step onto stages like the upcoming BRICS Young Innovators Forum in Brazil, they do so as confident leaders,” Gina explained.

Executive Dean of the College of Business and Economics Tankiso Moloi hailed the challenge as a milestone for youth-led solutions in the Global South.

He paid tribute to Sebonkile Thaba, the driving force behind the challenge, and Vicky Graham, who helped create an enabling environment for the initiative.

“Innovation without direction is like an engine without a steering wheel—powerful but prone to chaos. What we need for the BRICS+ era is ecosystem leadership: from policymakers, academics, industry partners, and most importantly, from students themselves,” Moloi said.

He argued that BRICS+ innovation must be contextual, solutions rooted in the realities of Johannesburg as much as those of Beijing, Brasília, New Delhi, Moscow, Cairo, or Jakarta.

Such innovations, he said, could reshape the global innovation map, turning the Global South into a distributed hub rather than leaving dominance to a single region.

Moloi also called for a pedagogical revolution in education, where digital skills go beyond basic computer literacy to include computational thinking, data literacy, ethics, cybersecurity, and cross-border collaborative learning.

“Our students must not just be job seekers, but job creators, audacious problem-solvers, and agile global citizens,” he said.

At the heart of the event were the top five student-led start-ups, who pitched their projects to an expert panel of judges.

Among the standouts was Inkulumo Connect, an AI-powered real-time translation platform for South African Sign Language, designed to bridge communication barriers for more than 230,000 SASL users.

Another finalist, ProcureTech Innovations, is using AI and blockchain to revolutionise rural healthcare supply chains, addressing inefficiencies in medicine and equipment delivery.

Other projects showcased cutting-edge solutions in fintech, agritech, and education technology, reflecting the challenge’s emphasis on digital skills and entrepreneurship.

Judges commended the quality of the pitches, noting the scalability and potential global impact of several of the ideas.

Both Gina and Moloi positioned the challenge as more than a competition—it is a step toward reimagining South Africa’s place in the global knowledge economy.

They argued that innovation ecosystems, if nurtured, could transform the country’s socio-economic trajectory while strengthening ties across the BRICS+ alliance.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The EFF has released the first draft of the Student Debt Relief Bill, 2025, a sweeping proposal to address what it calls the “structural crisis” of student debt in South Africa.

EFF MP and Higher Education Portfolio Committee member Sihle Lonzi, who is driving the Bill, described the crisis as a national emergency.

“There are more than 300,000 students who have met all their academic requirements but cannot graduate, cannot receive their certificates, because of student debt. This is not failure; this is poverty being weaponised,” Lonzi said.

The party says the Bill is not only a legislative milestone but also the continuation of its longstanding campaign for free, quality education.

The draft legislation, gazetted earlier this year, proposes the establishment of a Student Debt Relief Fund through which eligible students may apply to have their debts cancelled.

Crucially, it also seeks to compel institutions of higher learning to release qualifications to all students who have completed their academic requirements, irrespective of outstanding fees.

According to the EFF, more than 500,000 students across the country are burdened by institutional debt, preventing many from graduating or receiving their qualifications.

In 2022 alone, over 120,000 students were unable to graduate due to unpaid fees. Student debt, which stood at R16.5 billion in 2021, has ballooned further in recent years, turning higher education into a “tool of exclusion,” the party argues.

The EFF contends that the withholding of qualifications entrenches inequality, trapping young people in cycles of joblessness and debt.

“Young people were told to go to school. They did, they completed their studies, yet they cannot graduate because of the economic backgrounds they come from,” Lonzi added.

The Student Debt Relief Bill would create a state-backed Student Debt Relief Fund, empowering students who meet specific criteria to have their debts written off.

The fund would also ensure that universities and colleges are reimbursed, preventing disruptions to institutional budgets.

EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo described the Bill as “a people’s bill, grounded in the pain and suffering of students who have been excluded for too long.”

He argued that clearing debt would not only empower individuals but also stimulate the economy by allowing graduates to enter the workforce and contribute meaningfully.

“This is not simply about financial relief; it is about restoring dignity, enabling graduates to work, to specialise, to start businesses, and to participate in the economy,” Thambo said.

Public consultation on the draft Bill is now open for 30 days, with written submissions invited to Parliament.

The EFF has urged students, academics, workers, civil society organisations, and the broader public to participate in shaping the final version.

“We have exactly 30 days to unite the whole of South Africa behind this progressive Bill. This is about the future of our young people and the future of our nation,” Lonzi said, calling for a broad coalition of support.

The EFF also plans to hold nationwide consultative meetings at universities and TVET colleges in the coming weeks.

Lonzi said these engagements will not only refine the legislation but also mobilise public pressure ahead of its formal tabling in Parliament.

Opposition parties are expected to scrutinise the Bill.

The African National Congress has historically resisted blanket debt cancellation, favouring schemes like NSFAS, while the DA has argued for a means-tested model to assist only the poorest students.

The EFF rejects these alternatives, insisting that means-testing perpetuates exclusion.

The Bill is being positioned by the EFF as part of its broader struggle for free, decolonised education.

The party, which was instrumental in amplifying the #FeesMustFall protests of 2015–2016, says this legislation marks a critical shift from protest to policy.

If passed, the legislation could free hundreds of thousands of graduates from financial exclusion, potentially altering South Africa’s higher education landscape.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng 

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has expressed deep concern and regret following a serious incident of racial violence at Glenover Secondary School on Friday.

Five learners were stabbed in the attack — four African learners and one Indian learner.

According to departmental spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi, the violence began as a minor altercation on the soccer field between two learners but escalated into a wider conflict with racial undertones.

“The school acted swiftly, suspending the four learners directly involved in the initial incident,” Mahlambi said.

The situation worsened after school hours when a group, including a parent and former learners not part of the original altercation, confronted and assaulted some of the learners.

In a statement, the school strongly condemned the violence, warning that such incidents would disrupt learners’ preparation for their trial examinations.

“We are gravely concerned that this violence was racially motivated and aggravated by adults who should be setting an example of tolerance, peace, and restraint,” the school said.

Mahlambi stressed the importance of parental responsibility, adding: “Discipline begins at home. Parents play a critical role in instilling values of respect, tolerance, and non-violence.”

Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka echoed the condemnation, denouncing the “criminal behaviour of certain community members alleged to be fuelling violence” at the school.

“We will stand firmly with the principal, management team, SGB, and SAPS to ensure that this racial conflict is swiftly resolved and that schools remain safe spaces for teaching and learning,” he said.

The department said they are working with  the school to restore peace and stability, urging parents to support the school’s efforts to maintain a safe and inclusive learning environment.

“We urgently call on all parents to work with us to restore peace and stability,” the school appealed. “Your support is more important now than ever. Together, let us ensure the safety, well-being, and future of every learner at Glenover Secondary School,” Mahlambi said. 

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has pledged to deliver a new school for the Nigel community within 18 months, following weeks of turmoil over unsafe learning conditions at Alra Park Primary School.

Speaking to the media after a meeting with the School Governing Body (SGB), staff, departmental officials, and the Infrastructure Crisis Committee, Chiloane stressed that learners have already missed more than three weeks of schooling following the shutdown of the 85-year-old school in protest over crumbling infrastructure.

“Ultimately, what we want is to get our children back to class. It’s not good that they’ve been at home for so many weeks. They are losing a very important aspect of teaching and learning. The district will work closely with the school on a recovery plan,” he said.

He acknowledged that the school’s condition had justifiably alarmed parents, describing it as “not fit for today’s schooling” and promising that the community’s demand for a new facility would be honoured.

Chiloane said his department would implement a catch-up plan to help learners recover lost time, which may include weekend and after-school classes. He outlined a phased-in reopening strategy, starting with Grade 7 learners preparing to transition to high school.

“They’ve already lost a lot of time. We want to start with them so that they don’t suffer next year,” he said.

As immediate relief, the department will install additional mobile classrooms and prepare interim learning spaces while plans for the new school are finalised. Chiloane emphasised that renovating old and unsafe buildings would cost more than building anew, stressing that the new school is intended not only for current learners but for generations to come.

However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has slammed Chiloane and the provincial government for what it called a sluggish and negligent response to the crisis.

In a statement, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education Sergio Isa Dos Santos accused Chiloane of abandoning learners for weeks despite the school being declared unsafe in 2023.

“The MEC’s failure to act swiftly reveals the Premier Panyaza Lesufi-led administration’s disregard for learners’ rights. Not only is it arrogant, but it is also unresponsive to the plight of our learners,” Dos Santos said.

He noted that despite asbestos structures and mobile classrooms plagued by electrical faults, the department inexplicably installed air conditioners in hazardous buildings in 2024 rather than addressing urgent safety concerns. Both learners and staff have reportedly been injured by collapsing infrastructure.

“A DA-led Gauteng Department of Education would never abandon learners in this manner. We would prioritise safe and dignified learning spaces by eradicating asbestos schools, accelerating upgrades, and ensuring compliance with occupational health and safety standards,” Dos Santos added.

The crisis at Alra Park Primary reached a boiling point in mid-August when parents, citing health and safety risks, forcibly closed the school and barred learners and staff from entering.

Frustrated by broken promises, parents and community members launched protests, blockading roads and clashing with police. Officers fired rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators, heightening tensions.

The chairperson of the community crisis committee, Farid Mohammed, said residents had been demanding a new school for years.

The GDE previously attempted to address safety concerns by installing mobile classrooms in 2023 after engineers declared parts of the school unsafe. But parents argue that too few units were provided, forcing continued use of condemned buildings.

The department initially resisted calls for a new school, citing budget constraints and engineers’ recommendations that refurbishments could extend the life of existing structures. However, mounting community pressure and sustained protests have now forced a shift in approach.

Chiloane told parents that his commitment to a new school is final, emphasising that the immediate priority is getting learners back into classrooms safely while construction plans are set in motion.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The seventh edition of the Fasken Time Cricket Festival wrapped up this weekend at St David’s Marist Inanda in Sandton, reaffirming its status as a launchpad for South Africa’s emerging cricket talent.

St David’s Director of Sports Performance and Cricket, Dave Nosworthy, hailed the event as a true celebration of time cricket.

“It’s massive value to the youngsters to be able to bat for long periods, bowl long spells and learn game management. The spinners come into play, captains think differently about field placements, and players build resilience through the long sessions,” Nosworthy explained.

While hosts’ star Jason Rowles walked away with the Player of the Festival award, and King Edward VII School’s (KES) Steele Grooteman and Tiago Dias claimed Bowler and Batsman of the Festival respectively, the tournament’s impact stretched far beyond individual accolades.

Rowles embodied the resilience demanded by the long format, amassing 272 runs in three innings — including two centuries — and taking seven wickets. Dias topped the run charts with 292 runs, while Grooteman’s 15 wickets at an average of 11 confirmed his dominance with the ball.

Yet the festival’s purpose runs deeper: teaching South Africa’s top schoolboy cricketers the craft of red-ball cricket. Unlike the quick thrills of limited-overs formats, time cricket prizes patience, adaptability, and mental toughness. Matches often turn on concentration or lapses in discipline, and the festival is deliberately designed to immerse players in these realities.

St David’s Director of Sports Performance and Cricket, Dave Nosworthy, said the event is about laying lasting foundations:

“The true test of character isn’t in easy runs, but in the long spells, the tough sessions, and the moments that demand resilience. Any international cricketer will tell you, learning the longer format first gives you the tools you need for the rest of your career.”

The festival’s legacy is already clear: more than 100 former participants have gone on to provincial or international cricket. Among them are Proteas Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen, Ireland international Curtis Campher, and rising stars Kwena Maphaka, Richard Seletswane, and Riley Norton — all once in the shoes of the 156 players who competed this weekend under 12 schoolboy captains.

This year’s edition featured leading schools including St David’s, KES, Waterkloof, St Stithians, Jeppe, St John’s, Clifton College, St Andrew’s, Noordheuwel, Nelspruit, St Charles, and the Lions Invitational XI. Victories were recorded by St David’s, KES, Waterkloof, and Noordheuwel, but the greater goal was to immerse every participant in the tempo and nuance of time cricket.

The festival continues to thrive thanks to committed sponsorship, particularly title partner Fasken Law. Managing Partner Blaize Vance described the partnership as an investment in South Africa’s sporting and personal development:

“We often judge talent by timing or shot-making, but qualities like determination, courage, discipline and temperament are just as important. That’s the kind of talent this festival nurtures.”

With its blend of competitive intensity, developmental focus, and proven record of producing professional cricketers, the Fasken Time Cricket Festival has cemented its place as a cornerstone of South Africa’s schoolboy cricket calendar.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Mike Watts

A-level results in 2025 show the increasing popularity of Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) among students. For students taking three A-levels – the majority – the most popular combination of subjects was biology, chemistry and maths.

The subject with the greatest rise in entries from 2024 is further maths, followed by economics, maths, physics and chemistry. Maths remains the most popular subject, with entries making up 12.7% of all A-level entries.

Conversely, subjects such as French, drama, history and English literature are falling in exam entry numbers.

There is considerable incentive for young people who may be looking beyond school and university to the job market to study Stem. Research has found that Stem undergraduate degrees bring higher financial benefits to people and to the public purse than non-Stem subjects.

Many of the world’s fastest-growing jobs need Stem skills. These include data analysts, AI specialists, renewable energy engineers, app developers, cybersecurity experts and financial technology experts.

Within Stem itself, science alone is a broad church that spans astronomy to zoology and all letters of the alphabet between. Add to this the many variations of technology, engineering and maths and the range of subjects and specialisms is enormous.

It might come as no surprise, then, that young people have considerable scope in the possible careers and employment they might follow in life. From accountancy to the environment, medical engineering to computer technology, etymology to vulcanology, the possibilities are vast. There is little doubt that this very broad arena is attractive as possible employment.

What’s more, maths, engineering and the sciences are now vital parts of careers that might have once seemed unrelated. It was once the case that the division between arts and science was seen as unbridgeable: you were firmly on one side or the other. Today this is far less evident.

Artists, in their many manifestations, are almost by default material scientists. Architects, photographers, musicians, video-makers, sound and lighting technicians are (arguably) technical engineers. Landscape gardeners are environmentalists, chefs are food scientists.

Everyday Stem

Stem affects everyday life at all levels. Wearing a smart watch to track our health and fitness, as so many of us do, requires analysis of data, averages and percentages. We need maths skills to navigate our personal finances. Following directions means programming a Satnav.

Young people take their attitudes, advice and directions from a multitude of sources. 

Concern about the environment may lead teens to consider careers in areas such as ecology or environmental engineering. The ubiquity of social media apps and the tech companies that run them raises awareness of the use of computer science or tech skills.

And leaving aside Instagram, TikTok and other social media, Sir David Attenborough’s TV series Blue Planet prompted a surge of interest in marine ecology and plastic pollution.

Nor are young people immune to social influences more broadly. In more diffuse ways, peers and parents are also influential in shaping career choices, as are science centres, museums, botanical gardens, planetariums, aquariums, environmental centres, city farms and such like.

Then there are teachers and schools. Positive experiences in school Stem prompt further study. There is increasing evidence that individual project work, industrial placements, role-model scientists, school outreach and class visits all play an important part in promoting career intentions and aspirations.

One important factor here is imbuing students with a positive Stem identity. When young people think they are good at Stem subjects and are able to be successful, they are much more likely to choose a Stem career.

The upshot here is that, as the world changes, and changes quickly, so does the realisation that Stem is an essential and invaluable dimension of life and that career prospects are varied and available at many, many levels. It seems little wonder that students have to come to see this and are enrolling in study and employment in greater numbers than before.

THE CONVERSATION